[They stare at each other, breathing hard.]
[Deliberately.] I have never in all m y life heard anyone say put on the kettle. GUS I bet my mother used to say it. BEN Your mother? Whe n did you last see your mother? GUS I don't know, about? BEN Well, what are you talking about your mother for?
[They stare.]
Gus, I'm not trying to be unreasonable. I'm just trying to point out some
thing to you. GUS Yes, but? BEN Who's the senior partner here, me or you? GUS YOU. BEN I'm only looking after your interests, Gus. You've got to learn, mate. GUS Yes, but I've never heard? BEN [Vehemently.] Nobody says light the gas! Wha t does the gas light? GUS What does the gas?? BEN [Grabbing him with two hands by the throat, at arm's length.] THE KETTLE,
YOU FOOL!
[GUS takes the hands from his throat.]
GUS All right, all right.
[Pause.]
BEN Well, what are you waiting for?
GUS I want to see if they light.
BEN What?
GUS Th e matches.
[He takes out the flattened box and tries to strike.]
No.
[He throws the box under the bed. BEN stares at him. GUS raises his foot.]
Shall I try it on here?
[BEN stares, GUS strikes a match on his shoe. It lights.]
.
261 0 / HAROLD PINTER
Here we are.
BEN [Wearily.] Put on the bloody kettle, for Christ's sake. [BEN goes to his hed, hut, realizing what he has said, stops and half turns. They look at each other. GUS slowly exits, left, BEN slams his paper down on the hed and sits on it, head in hands.]
GUS [Entering.] It's going. BEN What? GUS Th e stove.
[GUS goes to his hed and sits.] I wonder who it'll be tonight.
[Silence.]
Eh, I've been wanting to ask you something. BEN [Putting his legs on the hed.] Oh, for Christ's sake. Gus No. I was going to ask you something.
[He rises and sits on BENS hed.] BEN Wha t are you sitting on my bed for?
[GUS sits.] What's the matter with you? You're always asking me questions. What's the matter with you?
GUS Nothing. BEN YOU never used to ask me so many damn questions. What's come over
you? GUS No, I was just wondering. BEN Stop wondering. You've got a job to do. Wh y don't you just do it and
shut up? GUS That's what I was wondering about. BEN What? GUS Th e job. BEN What job? GUS [Tentatively.] I thought perhaps you might know something.
[BEN looks at him.]
I thought perhaps you?I mean?have you got any idea?who it's going to be tonight? BEN Wh o what's going to be?
[They look at each other.] GUS [At length.] Wh o it's going to be. [Silence.]
BEN Are you feeling all right? GUS Sure. BEN Go and make the tea. GUS Yes, sure.
[GUS exits, left, BEN looks after him. He then takes his revolver from under the pillow and checks it for ammunition. GUS re-enters.]
Th e gas has gone out. BEN Well, what about it? GUS There's a meter.7 BEN I haven't got any money. GUS Nor have I. BEN You'll have to wait.
7. One that controls the supply of gas and must be fed with shilling coins.
.
THE DUMB WAITER / 2611
GUS What for? BEN For Wilson. GUS He might not come. He might just send a message. He doesn't always
come. BEN Well, you'll have to do without it, won't you? GUS Blimey. BEN You'll have a cup of tea afterwards. What's the matter with you? GUS I like to have one before.
